As far as band life goes, things seem pretty swell for Tampa rock outfit Merchandise. After years of chasing the sounds in their heads inside warehouses and cramped practice spaces, frontman Carson Cox & Co. have recently enjoyed loads of web-love (read: Pitchfork loves them) and an increasing amount of mainstream attention, which eventually led to the band getting signed by legendary UK imprint 4AD (Bauhaus, Cocteau Twins, Red House Painters) in January. The label handled the release of Merchandise's sweet, clear vinyl 12" — “Begging For Your Life/In The City Light” — in February, and are set to release a full-length when it's ready.
Today NPR released a stripped-down live video from a SXSW backyard session, and it turns out the radio station that you once made fun of your parents for liking really loves this great Tampa band, too.
"Merchandise has roots in Tampa hardcore punk scene, but its sound is hard to pin down," NPR wrote. "In this East Austin backyard, singer Cason Cox and guitarist Dave Vassalotti showed the band's romantic side."
The almost 10-minute clip is pretty dreamy, too, as it finds Cox unplugged and Vassalotti with Strat in hand while the pair work through a beautiful older cut, "Become What You Are" (watch them play it on a Seminole Heights rooftop here). Birds sing in the background, the sky is a cool gray, and Cox's red coat sets him apart from the white porch that finds him painfully crooning some of the song's forlorn, soul-searching lyrics. His acoustic strumming provides the backbone for the cut, but it's Vassolotti's guitar work that gives the whole thing spark.
Have a look at the clip below and feel happy about the band's impressive spread of international tour dates (which you can check out here). Read about their upcoming Record Store Day special release with Milk Music and Destruction here.
This article appears in Apr 17-23, 2014.